A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was reported to have been "deliberately" run over by a truck twice.

The 19-year-old victim, who is in hospital in a serious but stable condition, was walking on the pavement in Warmdene Avenue, Patcham, near Brighton, East Sussex, when the collision happened at 8.47pm on Saturday.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "A vehicle described as a dirty pick-up truck, with a double cab and an open back, is reported to have run over the man before turning around and going over him again as his body lay on the floor. It then accelerated east on Mackie Avenue.

"The victim, a 19-year-old local man, had been walking home with friends when the incident occurred. He was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where he remains in a serious but stable condition. No one else was injured."

Detective Inspector Ian Still said: "Our initial indications are that this was a deliberate act in which a pick-up truck ran over the man on the pavement, before stopping and turning around, and driving over him again as his body lay on the floor.

"We are still in the early stages of our investigation and we will be carrying out extensive inquiries to establish the full circumstances. However, in light of recent events, it is important to note that we are not treating it as terror-related.

"This was a horrific incident which has left a young man fighting for his life, and I would urge anyone with any information to report it online quoting Operation Morston."

The force spokesman said: "A 17-year-old boy from Brighton, arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, remains in police custody at this stage."